Some will win, some will lose
By Davie Wong, Sports Editor
It’s finally here! After eight long weeks of waiting, the PACWEST Soccer Championships are back! This year’s edition brings a whole new cast of intrigue. Let’s start with the ladies.
The women’s bracket of the championships consists of the Douglas College Royals, Capilano University Blues, Langara College Falcons, and VIU Mariners, seeded in that order. The first round sees the Royals taking on the VIU Mariners.
It’s an interesting matchup to say the least. The Mariners have had themselves a disappointing year. They look to be a shadow of who they were last year, and it’s hard to say if they’ve improved enough to beat the Royals. However, if any team can peak at the right time, it’s the Mariners.
The Royals will need to be on their guard. They’ll have to be at their best to top the Mariners. As proven in previous years, no lead is safe against the Mariners. This one will be epic. Don’t miss it!
If the Royals fall here, it’ll be a heartbreaker. They’ll likely face off against the Langara Falcons for bronze, which should be attainable. However, speaking of Falcons, if the Royals win, they’ll likely face off against the Capilano Blues. That is their preferred matchup. In a scenario where the Falcons upset the Blues, the Royals will face an interesting match.
No wildcard seed means that only the winner goes to Nationals this year. Against the Falcons, the Royals are 1-2. They are the only team to have defeated the Royals twice this season. Safe to say that the Royals are hedging on a Capilano Blues victory. If the Blues win, then the Royals will be in familiar territory. They’ve defeated the Blues twice this season, losing only once at the beginning of the year.
The key for the Royals will be to play their game. No other team is as strong throughout the field as the Royals. Their strong defence and flamboyant midfield are the key areas of play. While their offence will be important, if the midfield and defence do their jobs, Mikayla Hamilton should have a dandy of a time against the other team’s keeper. Of course, getting balls to her may be difficult if teams decide to shadow her with several defenders. But this year, the Royals have several threats, including the PACWEST top goal scorer Sam Kell.
The women have what it takes to bring home gold. Let’s see what wrenches the other teams decide to throw into the works.
On the men’s side of the bracket, it’s a bit more a moot picture. In order of the seedings, we have the VIU Mariners, the Capilano University Blues, the Douglas College Royals, and the Quest Kermodes. The VIU Mariners and the Capilano University Blues are clear favourites to win the tournament.
The first round sees the Royals taking on the Capilano Blues. This one is easier to break down than it sounds. The last time the Royals played the Blues, they lost, 6-2. That was just one week ago. The Blues are simply on a different level than the Royals. Sure, the Blues have their weaknesses, but the best hope for the Royals here is to hold on to a tie and hope they can make it into penalties—though underdogs stories have been made from far less.
On the off chance they win, they will probably play the VIU Mariners. The Mariners have been a monster of a team, but the Royals always seem to be able to get under their skin. This matchup might not be as bad for the Royals as it looks statistically, but they have to get there first.
The Royals’ more likely matchup will be against the Quest Kermodes. I want to say this is a winnable match for the Royals, and that bronze is achievable. But the Kermodes are hosts of this year’s PACWEST Soccer Championships, and a home crowd advantage can always throw a team off.
The Royals could definitely take home bronze this year, but anything higher than that is optimistic.
